For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering two questions. First up concerns the effect going Primal has on your skin’s resistance to sun damage. While there isn’t any specific research examining ancestral eating and sun damage, several lines of evidence suggest a protective effect. Second, what’s the deal with stigmasterol, AKA Wulzen anti-stiffness factor? The WAPF says butter and cheese and milk are the best place to get it, but that pasteurization destroys it. Is this really true? And how does fermentation affect stigmasterol?

Let’s go:

When I was younger, I burned in the sun quickly. Now that I’m older and paleo, I can stay shirtless in the sun for at least an hour at high noon without a tan or sunscreen in spring without burning. I’m very watchful because of history, but I never come close to burning. Is there any evidence the paleo diet provides protection from the sun?

There’s some decent evidence that going Primal helps protect your skin from the sun. RCTs showing added protection on a Primal way of eating don’t exist, but we have good evidence that doing the things typically characterized as “Primal” helps.

Eating dietary cholesterol-rich foods: In what must have blown lipid hypothesis-embedded researchers’ minds, a study from the late 70s found that the more dietary cholesterol a mouse ate, the longer it took for UV-induced skin cancer to develop (PDF). This makes sense; cholesterol in the skin reacts with UVB to form vitamin D, thus acting as a “buffer” against sun damage. If you’re eating eggs with any regularity, you’re probably improving your skin’s resistance to UV.

Eating salmon and shrimp: The pink color indicates the presence of astaxanthin, a photoprotective “keto-carotenoid” that krill-consuming marine animals carry in their flesh. You can also go straight to the source and eat krill oil.

Eating adequate omega-3s: One study out of Australia—land of skin cancer—found that adults with the highest serum concentrations of DHA and EPA had the least “cutaneous p53 expression.” When your skin is in danger of damage from the sun, p53 expression is upregulated to protect it. The fact that p53 expression was low suggests that the skin wasn’t in danger; the omega-3s were protecting the skin and reducing the “perceived” (and real) danger. Acute intakes of EPA reduce the inflammatory skin response to UV radiation.

Also note that it’s not just about what you eat. It’s about how you sleep, too. Our skin’s resistance to UV damage follows a circadian rhythm. We seem best adapted to sun exposure during the morning/early afternoon. It’s also quite probable that a bad night’s sleep, or several, will open you up to increased sun damage, since our ability to repair UV-derived damage depends on a well-functioning circadian rhythm.

Any of that stuff sound familiar? I’ll bet it does.

Mark,

Amylase and Wulzen anti-stiffness factor (stigmasterol), normally found in raw milk, butter, and cream, are reportedly destroyed by pasteurization. Do either of them survive the fermentation process to any extent in the making of raw milk cheese?

Thanks,

Carl

Stigmasterol is a plant sterol, a compound similar to cholesterol with benefits for joint health. It’s also called the Wulzen anti-stiffness factor after Rosalind Wulzen, who discovered a mysterious component in butter oil that restored the health (particularly of connective tissue) of ailing animals (PDF). Though it’s the most famous source of stigmasterol, dairy isn’t the only place to get it. The only reason it’s present in grass-fed dairy is because the animals obtain it from the vegetation they eat. It’s also found in neem (a medicinal herb used in India), blackstrap molasses, and sunflower fat, just to name a few.

I’m not even sure stigmasterol is destroyed by pasteurization. The Weston A. Price folks have always claimed it does, but I haven’t seen any real references. One recent study subjected sunflower oil-bound stigmasterol to 180 °C for up to 3 hours. By the end, some but not all of the stigmasterol had been destroyed. Pasteurization subjects milk to 71.1 °C for just 15 seconds, far gentler than what the sunflower oil stigmasterol was subjected to. You could argue that oil-bound stigmasterol is uniquely resilient, but dairy-bound stigmasterol is fat-bound, too. I don’t see why it’d be any different.

Fermentation? A survey of various goat and sheep dairy products, including fluid milk, fermented cheeses, cream, and butter found that stigmasterol was present in nearly every product studied (PDF). It’s safe to assume your fermented raw cheese will have some stigmasterol remaining.

Overall, what I found suggests that stigmasterol probably isn’t destroyed by pasteurization, let alone fermentation. Even if it is, there are plenty of other places to get stigmasterol. I’ve spoken highly of blackstrap molasses in the past, so go for that.

Don’t get me wrong: I still prefer raw dairy, provided it’s safe, grass-fed, and from a quality source. But I’m not sure stigmasterol is a reason to focus on it.

With all those BBQs on the horizon and the occasional summer potluck, step up your culinary game with an Italian-inspired pasta salad that’ll have everyone begging for seconds. With rich, creamy mozzarella and sweet sun-ripened tomatoes, you know it’s going to be good! And the best part? It only takes twenty minutes to make. Check out this eBay guide for the recipe and enjoy your new favorite side dish. via http://ift.tt/1WrJOXs http://ift.tt/28IWEfz

This high-protein cousin of quinoa is native to Peru and Bolivia. It’s gluten-free, with a nutty and slightly sweet flavor. Check out its superfood qualities and learn where you can get your hands on some.

Nutrition Info

Kaniwa (pronounced ka-nyi-wa) is actually a seed, though nutritionally it’s categorized as a whole grain. It’s a good source of protein, with one serving providing 15 to 19 percent of the daily recommended amount. It is also loaded with dietary fiber, antioxidants and phytochemicals. According to Manuel Villacorta, M.S., R.D., author and founder of Whole Body Reboot, “Kaniwa is composed of flavonoids, which are antioxidants that have been proven to prevent cardiovascular disease, inhibit the growth of certain bacteria and viruses, reduces the risk of anti-inflammatory disease, and has anti-aging benefits.”

Shopping for Kaniwa

This seed isn’t as popular as quinoa, so it’s not as widely available in most local stores. However, you can find it in some specialty markets and at online retailers like Amazon and Roland Foods.

When shopping for kaniwa, you won’t find it in a refined form, so even if the package doesn’t say the word “whole” it’s most likely in its whole-grain form anyway. Further, there’s no need to rinse before cooking, as you have to do with quinoa.

Cooking with Kaniwa

Kaniwa can be used to replace quinoa in recipes. Use it in place of rice or as a hot cereal. You can also add it dry to smoothies, salads and even soups. Villacorta states that “the seed can also be ground into flour and used to make breads, pastries, and hot chocolate. It can also be used in place of flour or breadcrumbs to coat fish and meats.” See his recipe for Kaniwa Crusted Cod below.

Kaniwa-Crusted Cod

Recipe courtesy of Manuel Villacorta

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

For the kaniwa:

1/4 cup kaniwa

1/2 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the cod:

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

2 teaspoons lime juice

Salt and pepper

6 ounces cod fillets

Oil spray

Lime wedges

Directions:

For the kaniwa:

Put the kaniwa, water and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until all of the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

When done, fluff with a fork and set aside to cool.

For the cod:

Put the olive oil, garlic, cilantro and lime juice in a shallow bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix to combine.

Place the fillets in the marinade and let them sit for 5 minutes. Flip them over and let them marinate for another 5 minutes.

Put the kaniwa on a large plate. Roll the marinated fillets in the kaniwa, pressing it into the flesh until both sides are coated.

Spray a large saute pan with cooking oil and heat over medium heat. When hot, add the fillets. Cook for about 5 minutes on one side; flip over and cook the other side. Place the fillets on a platter and serve with fresh lime wedges.

Last week I spent five days in New York City. I spent the first few days with Quaker and the second part just having fun! Here’s a recap of my time with the Quaker team. Check back tomorrow for part II!

I’m working with Quaker again this year as part of The Oat Authority, and they asked me to come with them to New York to meet with editors of major women’s magazines about the growing overnight oats trend. I was happy to come talk overnight oats for a day and a half!

I took the train up on Tuesday and was greeted by a bright blue city skyline.

I stayed at the Eventi Hotel, and it was lovely!! I love Kimpton Hotels and have visited in them in San Francisco and Washington as well!

No view to see here. No view at all

After arriving, a workout and a shower, I put on a dress and headed out to meet the Quaker team!

We met for dinner at Beauty and Essex. The restaurant looks like a simple pawn shop from the front, but once you’re inside it features big chandeliers and a dark, cozy atmosphere.

For breakfast the next day I grabbed berries, granola, an egg and yogurt from the hotel buffet (which was really nice and inexpensive!)

For the desk-side interviews, we met with editors from a lot of the major food and women’s magazines: Martha Stewart Living, Family Circle, Rachael Ray Every Day, Parents, and Shape. We talked to them about the growing trend in searches for overnight oats – Google Trends reported that in 2016, people are searching for overnight oat recipe inspiration twice as often as they were a year ago (which is a 40 to 50% increase).

I then talked about my love for overnight oats, the dish’s nutritional power, and then presented a demo of my go-to overnight oats recipe and the banana split I made last year.

Then we had this epic toppings bar where editors could create their own breakfast jars to take home.

We changed locations twice, going to Women’s Health and HelloGiggles. We had amazing caterers from Scoozi Events who helped us to keep the overnight oats in stock and all the toppings replenished. I did my demo maybe 15 times throughout the day, so we had to keep restocking! (Shoutout to Sean!!)

During our lunch break we ate at Dig Inn, and boy was this combination of sockeye salmon, kale and sweet potato delicious!

I was ready for a power nap at the end of the day! After a quick one I met the team for dinner at Hundred Acres.

We shared the following:

I went to bed as early as I could because we had another 6:00 a.m. wake-up.

The next morning, we were in the Hearst Tower presenting to editors at Food Network Magazine and Good Housekeeping.

This was such a fun experience!! Thanks to Quaker and the Zeno Group team for hosting me!